1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auction apparatus and an auction method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A distribution service has been known which distributes various kinds of content to a terminal apparatus of the user through the Internet. As an example of the distribution service, a moving image distribution service has been known which distributes moving image content and advertising content which is displayed in a display area of the moving image content.
In regard to the moving image distribution service, a technique which is called a program auction has been proposed. Specifically, in the program auction, after a program production company makes a presentation on a program, sponsors bid for a given amount of investment money and only the sponsor who bids against the other sponsors has a broadcast right to a CM space for broadcasting hours. This program auction is used to make a definite promise to ensure funds beforehand.
However, in the technique according to the related art, it is difficult to implement a practical auction for the content creator who plans to create content. Specifically, the program auction is used to ensure funds in advance, but is held after the program production company makes a presentation on the program. Therefore, the program production company needs to sufficiently review the content of the program before the auction is held, in order to raise funds. However, when the program production company does not raise funds at an auction, it is difficult to produce the program and the effort to review the content of the program is in vain. For this reason, the program auction is not practical for the content creator.